Why should a restaurant menu be a web page, not a PDF?
Because a page loads instantly on a phone, can be read by search engines and assistants, and lets you change a price or a dish in seconds. A PDF has to be downloaded and pinched to read, and it is usually last season's. Each dish can carry dietary tags such as vegan or gluten free, specials can be switched on and off, and an allergen note tells people to ask staff.
Can people book a table from the website?
Yes, through the reservation system you already use, such as SevenRooms, OpenTable, ResDiary or NowBookIt, placed on the site so booking is one tap from the menu. Opening hours sit on every page, with public holiday hours updated in one place, because "are they open today" is the question nearly every visitor arrives with.
Should a restaurant run its own online ordering?
Usually alongside the delivery apps, not instead of them. Apps bring in people who have never heard of you, at a commission on every order. Your own ordering, for pickup or your own delivery, keeps that margin on regulars and keeps their details with you. It can run through WooCommerce or Shopify on your site, or link to your point of sale's own online ordering, such as Square or Lightspeed, where you already use one.
How should functions and events be handled online?
With a function page and an enquiry form instead of a PDF pack. The form asks for the date, number of guests, the occasion and the package they are interested in, so your events coordinator can reply with availability and a quote rather than a list of questions. Each enquiry goes into a CRM with a reminder to follow up, because function enquiries go cold quickly.
Can a café sell gift vouchers on its website?
Yes. Digital gift cards sold through Shopify or WooCommerce are emailed straight away, can be redeemed in the venue, and are something people buy at short notice for birthdays and holidays. The balance is tracked automatically.
How do locals find a restaurant online?
Mostly through Google Maps and search, where your Google Business Profile does much of the work. The website supports it: the same name, address, hours and phone number as the profile, a fast mobile menu, real photos and structured data that says you are a restaurant and where. We set up the website side; keeping the Business Profile itself up to date stays with you.
Where do you work with cafes and restaurants?
Our location pages for St Kilda, Clayton, Berwick and Ballarat cover cafes and restaurants in those areas. We are Melbourne based and build for venues anywhere in Melbourne and Australia.